1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a system which is responsive to the age and condition of the oil utilized to lubricate an internal combustion engine or the like device and more specifically to a system which is capable of automatically determining both the need for oil change and the type of oil introduced into the system during the change.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In a prior proposed lubricant monitoring system disclosed in Japanese Patent Application First Provisional Publication No. 59-43299 published on Mar. 10, 1984 each time the oil is changed it is necessary to log the type (grade) and other pertinent data via a keyboard provided onboard the vehicle. However, this system has suffered from the drawback that most vehicle users are not at all familiar with physical and chemical composition of the oil which is filled into the sump of the vehicle and thus often to input erroneous data into the system. Even those who are technically familiar with lubricants sometimes inadvertently input incorrect data. This of course reduces the reliablity and utility of the system.